Mr. Goudas Events and News

A SAD DAY FOR GOUDAS Farewell to Robert Dipiero

With great sorrow we post this article regarding the sad and unexpected passing of one of our employees.

At the funeral home, fully attended by all Goudas Foods staff, as the factory closed so all employees could pay their last respect, Mr. Spyros Peter Goudas gave the following speech:

"Dear friends, co-workers, and family,

We are here today to pay our last farewell to Robert Dipiero, 41 years young.

As all of us know, Robert joined our company few years ago and he worked in many areas within the warehouse: in shipping, receiving, packaging, and in general he was a man that everybody knew well.

Unfortunately, some time ago, the nerves of his arm were severely injured (in a non work-related accident ), which resulted in him not being able to move it and even use it for work.

One day, despite the fact that his arm was not performing as before, he personally met with me to ask me if he could be given the opportunity to do some kind of work, so he could feel useful again.

He also insisted that his wage should be reduced, due to his inability to give 100% of himself as before.

I saw the quality in the man that wanted to do something, in a way or another, and I made arrangements so he could be able to drive the sweeping machine using his good hand, while also exercising his weaker hand.

His salary was not changed as a gesture of confidence towards his integrity as a good worker.

Robert performed well in this job and demonstrated true dedication and willingness to offer his best effort every working day.

We all have witnessed his excellent work, as the warehouse and the factory has always been spotless clean the whole time Robert took care of it.

As time went by he was able to help even in unloading work, using both his hands.

As Jerry (one of the supervisors) said, "you could rely on Robert to do anything.

You could ask him to do something, and know he would do it without monitoring him".

Robert was never absent from work; neither did he ever leave his work unfinished, although sometimes his pain was severe.

He was well respected and liked among his co-workers and he made good friends inside the Goudas Foods Company.

Goudas Foods is an organization in which every person is an important link on the chain. But now, this link has been broken with Robert's sad passing.

His premature and unexpected death has had a great impact in all of us, including the head office and personally me.

As all of us know, within the working area, certain machines have their own names as an honour to the people who worked with them for years.

For example the Beverly Machine, the Ashton, the Ralf, the Patrick, the Prespa, Raj Elevator, the Reggi Machine, and so on.

As of today, and from now on, when we have to refer to the sweeping machine, I suggest, and with your consent, that we refer to it as the "Robert Machine", to honour his memory and keep him always among us.

Robert did not have a big family. Once he said to me that Goudas Foods was his family.

Now, we all feel that we lost a member who will be greatly missed among us.

Thank you to all of you who showed-up today to attend personally into saying our goodbye to Robert.